Led by WAN-IFRA in collaboration with the Association of Independent Regional Press Publishers of Ukraine (AIRPPU) and the Norwegian Media Association (MBL), with crucial financial backing from Norway, the initiative has selected 40 deserving Ukrainian independent media outlets, from 234 applicants. The grants aim to provide essential support to local and regional news organisations, enabling them to navigate the challenges of wartime operations and contribute to the country’s sustainable and inclusive recovery.
Institutional Grants – Empowering Financial Sustainability Through the Revenue Accelerator Stream
22 regional media outlets have received institutional grants from the Revenue Accelerator Stream, selected from 234 applicants, to improve their financial and operational sustainability through funding, mentorship, training, and business model development, aimed at resilience, revenue diversification, and audience engagement.
The selected outlets include:
- Berdiansk 24, Zaporizhzhia region
- Vorskla, Sumy region
- Yampil.info, Sumy region
- Tochka skhodu, Donetsk and Luhansk regions
- MIG, Zaporizhzhia region
- Kramatorsk post, Donetsk region
- Visnyk Ch, Chernihiv region
- OGO, Rivne region
- Obrii Izuimshchyny, Kharkiv region
- Frontliner, frontline regions
- Thebuchacity, Kyiv region
- Hryvna, Kherson region
- Trudova slava, Zaporizhzhia region
- Kordon.media, Sumy region
- Slov’ianski vidomosti, Donetsk region
- Mayak-Media, Kharkiv region
- Ridne misto, Donetsk region
- Berezan, Mykolayiv region
- Objektyv media group, Kharkiv region
- Aktsent, Zaporizhzhia region
- Pershyi zaporiz’kyi, Zaporizhzhia region
- Makhala, Bolgrad, Odesa region
The announcement is available on AIRPPU website. To find out more, click here.
Investigative Grants – Championing Transparency and Anti-Corruption Efforts Through In-Depth Reporting
18 media outlets, selected from 234 applications, received Investigative Journalism Grants for reporting on accountability, transparency, and local governance in Ukraine. They will participate in capacity-building and mentoring, aiming to publish over 50 investigative stories annually, enhancing transparency and public trust in democratic institutions.
The selected grantees are:
- 18000, Cherkasy region
- 4 Vlada, Rivne region
- Intent, Odesa, Mykolaiv, Kherson regions
- Information agency «Center of Journalistic Investigations», Kherson/Crimea
- Kolo.News, Poltava region
- Kremenchutskyi Telegraf, Poltava region
- Locator-Media, Zaporizhzhia region
- Molodyi Bukovynets, Chernivtsi region
- Poltava Wave, Poltava region
- RIA Media and 20 hvylyn, Vinnytsia region
- RIA Plus and 20 hvylyn, Ternopil region
- Sim Dniv (Chernihiv Media Group), Chernihiv region
- Skhidnyi Variant, Donetsk region
- Tochka Dostupu, Kirovohrad region
- Tsentr Media, Odesa region
- VGORU, Kherson region
- Ye.ua, Khmelnytskyi region
- Zaporizhzhia Center of Investigation – Zaporizhzhia region
The announcement is available on AIRPPU website. To find out more, click here.
Shared Launch in Krakow
From May 2 to 6, 15 Ukrainian media professionals, of whom some are now participants in the Stronger Together programme, travelled to Kraków to attend the World News Media Congress 2025, marking the initiative’s opening phase. The event began with a dedicated roundtable where Ukrainian delegates presented their media outlets and outlined the key challenges they face. The Congress then continued to provide a valuable opportunity to connect with global peers, gain insights from leading media innovators, and explore the shifting dynamics of the global media landscape.
About the “Stronger Together” Initiative
Launched as a direct response to the urgent challenges faced by Ukraine’s independent press, the “Stronger Together” program provides crucial support to local and regional media outlets that collectively reach over 24 million individuals. The initiative prioritises several key areas, including financial resilience, investigative journalism, gender inclusion, and the strengthening of professional networks. Through close collaboration with both Ukrainian and Nordic media partners, the program is committed to ensuring the continued operation and growth of independent journalism in Ukraine.